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Green Beans Almondine is an easy side dish made with fresh green beans, toasted almonds, garlic, butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice. The beans are tender with just a bit of crunch, and the toasted almonds add a delicious nutty flavor.
This classic green bean recipe is perfect for holiday dinners or everyday meals. You can even prep the beans ahead of time and finish cooking them just before serving!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
I made this recipe for a dinner party and got rave reviews! Everyone loved them, and I loved the fact that I could mostly make them ahead and then just heat them when it was time for dinner. Thank you so much for an awesome recipe; I know I will be making it again and again. ~ Sharon
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Simple ingredients: Fresh green beans, toasted almonds, butter, garlic, and lemon come together for a flavorful side dish without a lot of fuss.
Perfect for any occasion: This classic green bean dish is easy enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or when you're entertaining guests.
Easy to make ahead: I love that I can blanch the green beans ahead of time and finish cooking them just before dinner. It's one less thing to worry about when I'm preparing a big meal.
Almondine means a dish prepared with almonds. You may also see it called amandine, which is the traditional French term. Both refer to the same cooking style, but almondine is more commonly used in the United States.
These green beans are a great addition to a holiday dinner or family gathering. Serve them alongside my best scalloped potatoes and ham recipe for a comforting meal with plenty of flavor.
Ingredients
- Fresh green beans: Choose firm, bright green beans. Trim the ends before cooking.
- Butter: I use salted butter for extra flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds wonderful flavor to the beans.
- Sliced almonds: Toasting the almonds brings out their nutty flavor and gives the dish a delicious crunch.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright, fresh flavor that balances the richness of the butter. I don't recommend bottled lemon juice for this recipe.
How to Make Green Bean Almondine
- Trim the beans: Line up a handful of green beans and cut off the stem ends. Trim the opposite ends if desired.
- Blanch the beans: Add the green beans to a pot of boiling water and cook for 4–5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
- Cool the beans: Immediately transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
- Toast the almonds: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds and cook for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove the almonds from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the beans: Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for about 1 minute. Add the drained green beans and sauté for 3–5 minutes, until heated through.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the toasted almonds. Remove from the heat, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the beans, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Green Bean Almondine Recipe Tips
- Do not overcook beans when blanching. You want them to be al dente and still have a bit of bite to them.
- Be certain to drain all excess water from the beans
- Prepare beans just before serving. These beans are best served hot.
How To Make Green Beans Almondine Ahead of Time
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that I can do most of the prep work ahead of time. This is especially helpful when I'm making a holiday dinner or cooking for guests.
- Prepare the green beans: Wash and trim the beans, then blanch them in boiling water until crisp-tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Refrigerate: Drain the beans thoroughly and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Toast the almonds: Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and allow them to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
- Finish before serving: Melt the butter in a skillet, add the garlic, and cook briefly. Add the prepared green beans and sauté until heated through. Stir in the toasted almonds, finish with fresh lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
Preparing the beans and almonds ahead of time means you'll only need a few minutes at the stove when it's time to serve dinner.
How To Serve
Green beans almondine are best served hot, so this is usually one of the last dishes I finish preparing before dinner. Just before serving, I add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of coarse salt, then transfer the beans to a serving dish. Add a few lemon wedges for garnish, if desired.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover green beans almondine in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, choose one of these methods:
- Stovetop: Melt a little butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Microwave: Place the beans in a microwave-safe dish and heat in 30-second intervals until hot.
Serving suggestions
Green beans almondine pair well with so many main dishes! They're a wonderful addition to a holiday meal alongside citrus glazed ham or oven roasted pork loin. For an everyday dinner, serve them with stuffed chicken breasts or pan fried walleye. They're also delicious with braised short ribs for a special occasion.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my vegetable recipes here!
Green Bean Almondine
Video
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Saute Pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans (washed and trimmed)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 2-3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ lemon
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Trim the beans: Line up a handful of green beans and cut off the stem ends. Trim the opposite ends if desired.1 pound fresh green beans
- Blanch the beans: Add the green beans to a pot of boiling water and cook for 4–5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
- Cool the beans: Immediately transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
- Toast the almonds: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds and cook for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove the almonds from the skillet and set aside.¼ cup butter, ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Sauté the beans: Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for about 1 minute. Add the drained green beans and sauté for 3–5 minutes, until heated through.2-3 cloves garlic
- Finish and serve: Stir in the toasted almonds. Remove from the heat, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the beans, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.½ lemon, salt and pepper
Notes
- Prepare the green beans: Wash and trim the beans, then blanch them in boiling water until crisp-tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Refrigerate: Drain the beans thoroughly and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Toast the almonds: Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and allow them to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
- Finish before serving: Melt the butter in a skillet, add the garlic, and cook briefly. Add the prepared green beans and sauté until heated through. Stir in the toasted almonds, finish with fresh lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
- Don't overcook the beans: Blanch the green beans just until they're crisp-tender. They should still have a little bite because they'll continue cooking in the skillet.
- Drain well: Make certain the beans are thoroughly drained after the ice bath. Excess water can dilute the buttery sauce.
- Finish just before serving: For the best flavor and texture, sauté the beans with the garlic, butter, and almonds shortly before serving. These green beans are best enjoyed hot.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in December 2015. The pictures have been updated, and a video has been added.
Green Bean Almondine Recipe Adapted From Fine Cooking.
Anneke De Clerk says
I make a similar version of this all the time. Never knew it was called Almondine. Learned something new today! Thanks for sharing!
Dan says
What does blanching do for the beans rather than sauteing right from the start? Just curious.
Kathy says
Hi Dan, Blanching the beans helps maintain the color and texture of the beans.
Fred G says
Great combo of ingredients.
Kiki says
Made this for our Christmas dinner of fresh deer loin and baked potatoes. SO delicious! Definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing.
Kathy says
Thank you!
Karen Morris says
Awesome and easy side dish. Made it for Christmas dinner along with Beef Wellington.
Kathy says
Wonderful! So glad you loved it! 🙂
Adina says
I love green beans, but I have never added almonds, I am sure this dish tastes even better this way.
Kathy says
It is very delicious!
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
I see that you are gearing up for the upcoming holiday period. Whether it's called 'almondine' or 'amandine'- it all sounds good to me!
Joan P. Woolf says
One spelling being "American" and one being "European", both correct.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
A great, easy dish for the upcoming holidays Kathy! I'm pinning this one and making for sure!
Dawn says
Green beans are one of my fave side dishes. And, really, how can you go wrong when you serve 'em with butter, lemon and almonds? I could eat a whole lot of these for sure!! Suddenly my 'side' becomes a meal, lol.
David @ Spiced says
Reading through this post totally got me excited about Thanksgiving side dishes! I'm all about the side dishes, and this green bean almondine sounds like it would be the perfect addition to the menu this year. My mom used to make a similar dish back when I was a kid, but I haven't had it in years! Thanks for sharing, Kathy!
Natalie says
Can olive oil or margarine be used instead of butter?
Kathy says
Hi Natalie,
Yes! You could substitute olive oil or margarine! Happy cooking! 🙂
Phyllis says
I made this tonight to go with the Pork and Sauerkraut to ring in the new year, and it was delicious! I blanched the green beans ahead of time and just threw them in the pan with the almonds and butter when the time came. They were a big hit! Thanks for the recipe. Definitely a keeper!
Kathy says
Thanks, Phyllis! I'm glad you love it as much as I do!
Michelle Ferrand says
This looks so easy! And delicious! And like something l'd make for dinner!
YUM!
Kathy says
It really is easy and delicious! Give it a try 🙂
Christine says
Green beans have such great flavor. Love recipes like this that let all that flavor come through!
Kathy says
Thanks, Christine! They really are great!
Erin says
A fresh & healthy side dish! Beats plain old green beans any day.
Kathy says
Thanks, Erin! These green beans are a great side dish! They definitely beat plain old green beans!
Angie says
Simple and nice :)! Perfect dish for a vegetarian. Thanks Kathy!
Kathy says
Perfect for everyone!
Manali @ CookWithManali says
green beans & almonds are really good together, these look fantastic Kathy! Have a great 2016! 🙂
Kathy says
Thanks, Manali! Happy New Year to you too!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
I didn't know you worked at a restaurant Kathy...how nifty is that!?!? Anyhow, these green beans look fabulous. I will be giving them a whirl tonight, doing the easy thing and making a ham. Then we're going to that Snoopy movie finally. I will definitely be trying the lemon bit, that's new for me. As for the butter...haha...there's no subbing for me =) Have a fabulous New Year with your family!!!
Kathy says
My restaurant experience is from way back when....back in the college days. I learned lots from working there and still use some ideas I learned. Happy New Year!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Perfect side dish for NYE. We are staying in this year and having friend s over for dinner. I was going to do a simple roasted asparagus because couldn't think of anything else, but now i have your recipe! YAY!! Plus, it's fancy looking and will impress everyone 🙂
Kathy says
I hope you give it a try! Happy New Years!
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
These look scrumptious, and just right for the Whole 30 I am about to start in January - I'll just sub some ghee for the butter. Thanks for the recipe!
Kathy says
Perfect! I love that you can make simple changes and still enjoy delicious food!